Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Sung by the people of Faery over Diarmuid and Grania, in their bridal sleep under a Cromlech. We who are old, old and gay, O so old! Thousands of years, thousands of years, If all were told: Give to these children, new from the world, Silence and love; And the long dew-dropping hours of the night, And the stars above: Give to these children, new from the world, Rest far from men. Is anything better, anything better? Tell us it then: Us who are old, old and gay, O so old! Thousands of years, thousands of years, If all were told.
About the headline (FAQ)
First published in National Observer, September 1891Confirmed with The Poetical Works of William B. Yeats in two volumes, volume 1 : Lyrical Poems, The Macmillan Company, New York and London, 1906, page 177.
Authorship:
- by William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939), "A faery song" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (William) Havergal Brian (1876 - 1972), "A faery song", op. 13c (1906), published c1913, first performed 1906 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ivor (Bertie) Gurney (1890 - 1937), "We who are old", 1920 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Raymond Warren (b. 1928), "A faery song", 1959 [ SSATB chorus a cappella ], from Irish Madrigals [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-17
Line count: 18
Word count: 102
Chantée par le peuple du Pays des Fées au-dessus de Diamuid et de Grania, dans leur sommeil nuptial sous un Cromlech. Nous qui sommes vieilles, vieilles et gaies, Oh si vieilles ! Des milliers d'années, des milliers d'années, Si tout devait être dit : Donne à ces enfants, nouveaux au monde, Silence et amour ; Et les longues heures de la nuit où tombe la rosée, Et les étoiles au-dessus : Donne à ces enfants, nouveaux au monde Le repos loin des hommes. Y a-t-il quelque chose de mieux, quelque chose de mieux ? Alors, dis-le nous : Nous qui sommes vieilles, vieilles et gaies, Oh si vieilles ! Des milliers d'années, des milliers d'années, Si tout devait être dit.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with footnotesTranslation of title "A faery song" = "Chanson de fée"
Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2015 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact:
Based on:
- a text in English by William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939), "A faery song"
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-27
Line count: 18
Word count: 121